Protective garment having enhanced evaporative heat transfer

Abstract

A protective garment comprises a thermal liner, a moisture barrier, and an outer shell. The protective garment includes one or more transferal portions located at predetermined areas to enhance evaporative heat transfer. In some embodiments, the transferal portions of the protective garment have Resistance to Evaporation of a Textile (Ret) of less than 20 m2 Pa/W.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective garment, comprising:
 an outer shell; and   a thermal liner disposed adjacent the outer shell, wherein the protective garment includes at least one transferal portion configured to facilitate evaporative heat transfer therefrom.   
     
     
         2 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transferal portion is provided in at least one of an armpit, underarm gusset, side-panel, groin, side-knee, and rear knee area of the protective garment. 
     
     
         3 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the outer shell in the at least one transferal portion is produced from at least one of an aramid material, a polybenzamidazole material, a polybenzoxazole material, and an oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) material. 
     
     
         4 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the outer shell in the at least one transferal portion is produced from at least one of a meta-aramid material, a para-aramid material, and an oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) material. 
     
     
         5 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the outer shell in the at least one transferal portion is produced from a blend of meta-aramid fibers, para-aramid fibers, and oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) fibers. 
     
     
         6 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , further comprising a moisture barrier disposed between the outer shell and the thermal liner. 
     
     
         7 . The protective garment of  claim 6 , wherein the moisture barrier includes a semipermeable membrane. 
     
     
         8 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal liner comprises a facecloth layer and at least one insulation layer. 
     
     
         9 . The protective garment of  claim 8 , wherein the facecloth layer is produced from at least one of an aramid material, a polybenzamidazole material, a polybenzoxazole material, and an oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) material. 
     
     
         10 . The protective garment of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one insulation layer is produced from at least one of a spunlace, a woven material, a nonwoven material, a stretch woven material, a knit material, a fleece material, and a laminate material. 
     
     
         11 . The protective garment of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one insulation layer is produced from at least one of a meta-aramid spunlace and a para-aramid spunlace. 
     
     
         12 . The protective garment of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one transferal portion has a Resistance to Evaporation of a Textile (Ret) of less than 20 m2 Pa/W. 
     
     
         13 . A protective garment, comprising:
 an outer shell; and   a thermal liner disposed adjacent the outer shell, wherein the protective garment includes at least one transferal portion having a Resistance to Evaporation of a Textile (Ret) of less than 20 m2 Pa/W.   
     
     
         14 . The protective garment of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the outer shell in the at least one transferal portion is produced from at least one of an aramid material, a polybenzamidazole material, a polybenzoxazole material, and an oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) material. 
     
     
         15 . The protective garment of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the outer shell in the at least one transferal portion is produced from at least one of a meta-aramid material, a para-aramid material, and an oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) material. 
     
     
         16 . The protective garment of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the outer shell in the at least one transferal portion is produced from a blend of meta-aramid fibers, para-aramid fibers, and oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) fibers. 
     
     
         17 . A method of producing a protective garment, comprising the steps of:
 providing a thermal liner and an outer shell; and   arranging the thermal liner and the outer shell together to produce the protective garment, wherein the protective garment includes at least one transferal portion configured to facilitate evaporative heat transfer therefrom.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising the steps of:
 providing a moisture barrier; and   arranging the moisture barrier between the thermal liner and the outer shell.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one transferal portion has a Resistance to Evaporation of a Textile (Ret) of less than 20 m2 Pa/W. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the outer shell in the at least one transferal portion is produced from at least one of an aramid material, a polybenzamidazole material, a polybenzoxazole material, and an oxidized polyacrylonitrile (OPAN) material.